Man accused of threats at VA hospital

Posted
Monday, March 4, 2019 4:00 pm

Mark W. Sweeney, 60, of Syracuse, appeared Friday in U.S. District Court in Syracuse on charges that he threatened to kill employees of the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Hospital, according to authorities.

The charge in the complaint filed against Sweeney carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years, the authorities added. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

According to the complaint, Sweeney called into a Veterans Crisis Line and made several threatening statements directed toward VA hospital staff, including that he intended to kill multiple people and had a plan and the means to do so.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, authorities added.

This case is being investigated by the Veterans Affairs Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.